Mark Hilton: A Kanto journey
by kantolover1
Summary: This is my story of Mark Hilton. He is a black belt student of the dojo who leaves on his Pokémon journey after qualifying. I thought it would be interesting for him to do his gym battles in a different order, as I am very used to seeing stories with the classic Pallet start. This is my first story and its purpose is merely to explore an idea I find interesting and worth pursuing.
1. The journey begins

This is my story of Mark Hilton. He is a black belt student of the dojo who leaves on his Pokémon journey after qualifying. I thought it would be interesting for him to do his gym battles in a different order, as I am very used to seeing stories with the classis Pallet start. This is my first story and its purpose is merely to explore an idea I find interesting and worth pursuing. I hope you enjoy it and will post ideas or just your general thoughts on the story.

 **Chapter 1 – The journey begins**

To anyone passing by the dojo just outside Saffron City, it was just a normal day. The sun was shining, fellow citizens were walking and playing with their Pokémon, nothing was out of the ordinary routine of Kanto life. However, for the dojo and its residents, it was a day of joy as the latest batch of trainees took their mastery exam. Every single one of them had passed and been awarded the black belt. They were now full members of the dojo, equal in standing to the fellows who trained there and represented an ancient tradition.

Master Kodil looked over the dojo floor forcing down the enormous smile that threatened to shatter his stern reputation. It was a rare occasion and equally rare joy to see all students pass the exam and join their society. Standing before the kneeling students, he took pride in the opportunity to deviate from his usual speech, which addressed failed students as well as successful.

"It gives me great pride and joy to welcome you all as full members of the dojo. You have done both yourselves and us great honour by striving hard and working tirelessly. It has been over 10 years since we conducted an exam where all our trainees passed. As part of this special group, I hope you will pass on what you have learned. I know you will bring our dojo great honour."

The Master was going to go on but realised in his pride, he could go on for quite some time.

"I now welcome you as members of the dojo, please stand amongst us as equals!"

As one, the group of eight stood and smiled wide grins at each other tempered by the discipline they felt the need to show in front of their Master. Each of them stood proud with their heads held high with their black belts on display for all to see. The logo of the dojo, a black, tribal patterned fist adorned the left corner of their simple white gi, right above the heart.

"Come now, let us share this excellent news with our friends," the Master spoke with a grin as he led them through the backdoor where the larger training area was.

The new black belts had to stop themselves from running wildly through the door. As soon as they had passed, eight Pokémon were waiting just outside with eager attention. The Pokémon were all fighting types namely mankey, machop and one machoke. Seeing no need to make the tension any heavier, Master Kodil announced simply "They all passed."

The result was exactly as he imagined as the Pokémon finally let loose the energy they had kept in with strict discipline. After a roar of triumph and beating of the chests, they had virtually tackled each of their respective trainers in celebration. The joyous faces of both trainers and Pokémon were truly a remarkable sight for the master. There was little worse than delivering news of one trainee failing where others had passed. This was especially so as the Pokémon always passed their tests, they were simply too talented in the martial arts. It was in their blood to be great at fighting, instinct allowed them to understand the instructions with next to no explanation.

Turning his eye to one pair in particular, Master Kodil observed Mark Hilton with his partner Mankey. The boy had come to the dojo with such anger and such sadness yet now stood proud with joy and discipline. As much as Mark loved the dojo, even seeing it as home, the Master knew today was the day Mark would leave for his journey. Many stayed in order to train further, some stayed in order to become instructors, some even stayed due to their Pokémon's wishes but Mark had always known his path was outside the dojo. He would have left at 10 had the dojo made facilities available but he had patiently waited until the greater age of 16 just to remain part of the dojo.

There were many ranches in Kanto where Pokémon were taken care of once a trainer had passed their limit of six. Almost every major city had one. The dojo was a special case. Despite being in the jurisdiction of Saffron City, they operated their own ranch, which could cater for any type of Pokémon. Their only rule was you had to be a full member of the dojo to use the ranch, which meant becoming a black belt and accepting the responsibilities that came with it. Mark Hilton had decided to delay his journey through Kanto in order to use the dojo's ranch and have a permanent place there. He wanted to ensure the dojo could remain his home. Though the Master by no means favoured Mark over other students, he had gained respect from all his peers for making that decision.

As expected, after an hour of celebrating with everyone else in the dojo, Mark approached the Master and gave a respectful bow. "Master Kodil, I have decided to leave the dojo to journey throughout Kanto. This place has been a home for myself and Mankey for so long and we are very grateful. I will proudly travel Kanto as a representative of our great tradition. Before we leave, we would like your permission to use the dojo's ranch as we encounter new friends."

It was a well-practiced speech, one that every member of the dojo had seen coming. Before the Master could reply, the other members and Pokémon had shuffled behind him in a formal structure all looking at mark with pride. Smiling softly, the Master gave his equally rehearsed response "I wish you and Mankey good fortune on your travels Mark. I know you will bring great honour to dojo. You are of course welcome to use the ranch; we look forward to seeing your new friends."

Mark bowed again respectfully and turned to leave with nothing else needing to be voiced. As he reach the exit, he turned once more and bowed to the rest of the gym. "I will miss you all but I will return. Mankey and I shall not forget any of you."

The Mankey beside him seemed to share his feelings but instead of a reserved discipline, gave a mighty roar and raised his fist in the air. The other Pokémon roared in approving response wishing them the best of luck. Pokémon had a curious effect on people; their free nature could rub off on the most disciplined of trainers. The black belts of the dojo were no exception as they roared and clapped all wishing Mark well.

With a final smile on his face, Mark and Mankey looked at each other before dashing out the door towards Saffron City, where their journey would begin.

* * *

Mark and Mankey had only run for a few minutes before they slowed to a walk as the gates of Saffron City came into view. They looked at each other and exchanged a smile before continuing their slow march to the city.

"It was worth the wait don't you think?" Mankey grunted, affirming his trainer's view. Although Mankey had loved the dojo where he could train and fight other fighting type Pokémon, he knew his trainer's desire to travel and see Kanto. At first, Mankey had felt rather indifferent to seeing more of the region but now he felt excited and could barely retain his desire to dash ahead. The possibilities of training in areas his comrades had never seen and fighting the strongest Pokémon called his spirit like nothing else.

Mark observed his partner in amusement. He had trained with Mankey since he was 9 years old. The dojo took in any fighting Pokémon that wished to train as well as abandoned or injured Pokémon. Mankey in his youth had been a capricious little thing with no discipline but an overactive zest for life. He simply did as he pleased and damn the consequences. On one particular day, Mark had trained to exhaustion before Mankey had decided to prey upon him. One of Mark's few possessions was a chain around his neck, which held the dog tags of his deceased father. His father had been a well-decorated soldier in the Kanto army. He had met Mark's mother during a rescue mission where she had been confined in a Pokémon Centre where she trained under Nurse Joy. What was a perilous, harsh and terrifying situation had blossomed into a story of love between the two. Unfortunately, the exact scenario had arisen just 3 years later where their story ended leaving Mark as their surviving child. It was therefore no surprise that Mark cherished his father's dog tags as one of his only keepsakes. As it so happened, Mankey was rather taken with the shiny chain and spotting Mark's weakened state, decided to take them. To this day, Mark was still uncertain if Mankey enjoyed taunting him more than having the chain itself. Either way, it had taken him days to catch Mankey where he had beaten the poor Pokémon relentlessly before successfully rescuing his possession. It had been the start of a great rivalry between the two as they spent an entire month exchanging hateful glares and packed punches. Mark generally came out the loser much to Mankey's delight. After that month, they had been in one particularly brutal bout when one of the black belts had intervened having had enough of the drama. To both Mark and Mankey's surprise, it turned out Mankey had not known the Mark's story since Mark had also been quick to start fights. Whilst they still fought on occasion, their rivalry had turned into a friendship and they soon trained together to the point where they were recognised as partners.

After talking and joking for a while, they finally entered Saffron City. They had both been many times mainly to pick up supplies for the dojo. This time, they were going to Pokémon Centre where they would register for the Pokémon league. For some time, Mark had wanted to join the Kanto army in honour of his father. His guardian, who had told him rather abruptly that the Kanto army was now obsolete, ended that idea. Ever since the war ended, the Pokémon league had taken charge of protecting the region mainly utilising the Elite 4 and Ace Trainers. The idea of having a protecting role as well as becoming a strong trainer appealed to all of Mark's desires so he swore to himself he would one day become an Ace Trainer if not an Elite 4 member.

"Hello Mark, how can I help you today?" asked the smiling Nurse Joy. Mark felt his spirits soar instantly. There was something special about the smiles the Nurses Joy gave. They were warm, inviting and gave the sense of utter acceptance.

"Greetings Nurse Joy, I would like to register for the Pokémon League," Mark replied in a strong determined voice full of conviction. His journey was finally beginning. Beside him, Mankey was also looking forward with a fierce determination, which looked somewhat scary. An excellent aspect of the dojo's training was Mankey was disciplined in these situations. He still looked upon the last time Nurse Joy had caught him causing havoc with much fear.

"Oh, that's excellent news Mark. Congratulations on becoming a black belt," Nurse Joy said with her enchanting smile once again. Whilst she was entering Mark's details in the system, Mark took the moment to marvel just how nice Nurse Joy was. It never ceased to amaze him how she was related to the Nurse Joy who had trained his own mother. She even looked exactly like that Nurse Joy!

"There you go; you're registered in the system now." Handing Mark his trainer card, she gave him a final smile before saying, "Good luck with your journey, do come back and visit when you decide to take on the Saffron Gym."

"Thank you Nurse Joy, we will," replied Mark as he marvelled at Nurse Joy's astute observations. With no specific information, it seemed she knew exactly where Mark was headed first and knew he would not be taking on the Saffron Gym first.

"Let's go Mankey, Vermillion City awaits!"


	2. Lara and a new friend

**A/N: As per the reviews and a couple of private messages, I've found the feedback has been grammar focused. One reviewer decided to correct some grammatical errors whilst others warned me of grammar police. I appreciate both responses. Personally, I am capable of ignoring corrections if they become too zealous but I suppose on balance, it is nicer to have possible errors noted. I'm a tad too lazy to proofread but will try to keep the story as 'English' as possible. In other news, I cannot wait for England to be knocked out of the World Cup.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2 – Lara and a new friend**

Mark and Mankey started their journey towards Cerulean City. Going north would take them past the dojo if they went off the path towards the wooden site but Mark decided it was far too early to return. He would go back when he had stories to tell and badges to show. As they walked, they noticed other trainers also going up and down the path on their own journeys. Mark found himself wondering what their own goals were, what Pokémon they might have, what their reasons might be. His thoughts were interrupted when a trainer suddenly called to him.

"Hey you, with the Mankey, would you care to battle?" The voice belonged to a young woman who was waving to him some 30m away. She was a tall girl, clad in a classic trainer outfit coloured black and yellow. Beside her, a rather impressive Ponyta was standing regally looking at them with interest. Mark decided this would be a good start to his journey and walked over to her.

"Hi there, my name's Mark and this is my partner Mankey," he said cordially holding out his hand. The girl shook his hand rather sheepishly in slight embarrassment by her lack of introduction.

"Hi, I'm Lara and this is Aria, my Ponyta. Sorry about that, but your Mankey seemed to catch Aria's attention so I was hoping you'd like to battle." Mark turned to Aria who was indeed looking at Mankey with interest as well as determination. Mankey responded in kind, his aggressive nature loved a challenge.

"I think we can accept that," Mark replied in amusement as he saw Mankey's reaction.

"Great! How about a two on two match?" Lara asked in excitement.

"I apologise, I only have Mankey at the moment. Would a one on one be acceptable?"

Lara looked at Mark in surprise. "Oh, I didn't think you would be a starter trainer, what with your age and all. Aria is fairly high level so I'm not sure why she wants to battle your Mankey."

Mark was not too surprised at her reaction. It was true that most trainers started out much younger and it was usually only starter trainers who had one Pokémon. "As it happens, today is the first day of my journey but that's not a problem. Mankey's been with me for years and he's fairly high level himself." The smile returned to Lara's face as the prospect of a good match returned.

"Oh, that's great. You'll have to tell me your story sometime. I've never met a trainer who started their journey so late, especially when they have a high level Pokémon with them!"

"There's not too much to tell. I was a student of the nearby dojo and wished to obtain my black belt before venturing out on my journey."

Lara looked at him with renewed interest at that. Little was known about the dojo's ranch but it was common knowledge them kept to themselves and only accepted their members who were black belts. It was rumoured only people who had trained there from a young age would be accepted, black belt or not. "That's pretty cool, I've always been curious about Saffron's dojo. Anyway, let's get to it!" she finished with a bright smile.

"Yes, let's," Mark replied simply as he walked back to take his place. "I hope we can dispense with a referee. I trust we can both follow standard rules effectively?"

"Of course!" Lara called back as Aria and Mankey took their positions on the made up battleground. The terrain was rather standard. Being slightly off the route's path, they were battling on earthy ground with a notable amount of grass. There were bushes and trees surrounding the clearing but nothing noteworthy offered either Pokémon the advantage.

"Since I'm guessing this is your first official match as a trainer, I give you the first move Mark."

Mark smiled. Lara was his kind of trainer showing the same respect one would give at the dojo. Still, giving him the first move could be underestimating his experience in matches.

"Let's start Mankey, you know what to do!"

Mankey sniggered slightly knowing the plan before his fierce looks returned. Getting into a fighting stance, his muscles tensed as orange energy whirled around him. "I see you know what you're doing, focus energy is a good start," Lara called in appreciation. She would now treat him as a true battler.

"Aria, let's go, flame charge!"

Aria's eyes blazed as she whinnied loudly. Stomping her hooves once, she began an incredible charge, the flames of her mane growing as they encompassed her body.

"Karate chop," called Mark as he decided to gauge Aria's abilities. His hut reaction was to go for low kick knowing Aria's momentum could be used against her but that was much riskier if Aria had good reflexes. Just as Aria's charge caught up with Mankey who was bouncing in his feet, Mankey leapt in the air over Aria's charge and delivered a sharp chop to the back of her head. True to Mark's concerns, Aria was well trained as she delivered a hard stomp to Mankey who could only defend by crossing his arms defensively. The two Pokémon were observing each other for the next move whilst their trainers admired the other's agility.

Suddenly, Lara decided to take the initiative. "Flamethrower Aria, let's keep some distance or now!"

Mark allowed Mankey to enjoy himself knowing he would simply dodge and roll treating the flamethrower as simple training until an opening presenting itself. Aria's flamethrower was certainly impressive as it burst from the horse's mouth like a cannon. Impressively, it didn't let up and kept the flames going tracking Mankey as Mankey rolled around and jumped over the flames from side to side. "

Just as Aria was starting to let the flamethrower end, Mark saw his chance. "Fury Swipes!"

Mankey was already charging towards Aria before Mark gave his command. They had trained enough together to spot the same opening. He also knew exactly what Mark was telling him to do. This was his favourite combination.

"Smokescreen!" Aria called without panic as she admired the ability of Mark and Mankey. They were much tougher than they looked. Unfortunately, the smoke came late as Mankey had already connected a karate chop to Aria's leg causing the horse's stance to drop slightly. Without pause, Mankey had started to scratch Aria with fury targeting the neck and legs.

Without command, Aria had already begun to use stomp in effort to both stop Mankey's attack and trap him. The smoke was starting to work to his advantage as several stomps connected causing the monkey to scream in both agony and fury.

"Low kick and fury swipes again!"

"Flame Charge and flamethrower! Fast!"

The timing decided everything. Mankey allowed Aria to start her flame charge away before using low kick on her hind legs causing her to fall down. Without pausing, Mankey pounced on to her and started using fury swipes and her back legs and back. Aria was helpless, as her flamethrower could not reach behind her. Just as her ability to get up again and use stomp returned, Mankey leapt away behind her and started to bounce on his feet again.

Lara was starting to get worried now. This Mankey was well trained and had purposefully targeted Aria's legs. Their speed had been greatly reduced and every move was countered swiftly. They needed to get a strong hit in fast.

"Fire blast Aria, make it big!"

Aria's mane glowed as she opened her mouth releasing an absolute inferno of flame towards Mankey. This move was far superior to flamethrower and accuracy didn't even matter. Aria's fire blast looked like a tornado of flame that seemed to grow faster and faster. Mark was suitably impressed. If not for his training, he would have been caught unaware in awe of the sheer majesty of the flames.

"Go in at the bottom Mankey and finish it!"

Mankey nodded before charging underneath the flames. The flames seared his back but he ignored the immense pain knowing he could finish the match. Leaping from the ground, Mankey raised his pre-charged fists and slammed them either side of Aria's head. The flames instantly stopped as Aria looked utterly lost.

Aria stuttered unable to stand properly whilst Mankey was breathing hard, sweat openly pouring off him. Finally, Aria fell to the floor unconscious.

"Aria!" called Lara in concern as she ran over to her Pokémon, potions ready in hand. As she took care of her Pokémon, Mark had gone to Mankey.

Mankey was shaking uncontrollably with energy. The burns on his back were driving him mad, as he wanted to run, run, and not stop. He had to force himself to remain still and trust Mark to take care of him. The trust was well placed as he felt relief come fast. Mark was rubbing burn heal into his back providing a soothing sensation. "That was great work Mankey, you did great," murmured Mark as he continued his ministrations. Mankey merely cooed in content as the burning feeling disappeared. "Well done on our first match!" Mark said as he finished and Mankey could face him again.

Mankey smiled and guffawed the way only a pig-monkey could. Aria was also back on her feet and walking towards them with Lara.

"That was a great match Mark, thank you. You too Mankey!" Aria also whinnied her approval stamping on hoof playfully at Mankey.

"Thanks, you and Aria were great. That was some first blast you have there." Mark replied earnestly. He truly was impressed with them. He knew exactly how powerful his Mankey was and without the early advantages they gained, he knew they could have been in more trouble.

"We worked on that for a long time," Lara smiled as she looked lovingly at Aria. "It's definitely her finishing move. We definitely took too much damage early on. I didn't expect your Mankey to be so agile and well trained!"

"We've been together a long time," Mark replied as he rubbed Mankey's head fondly. "I noticed Aria also understands your intentions like Mankey here. When you don't need to give such precise instructions all the time, you really take things to another level."

"I agree. Maybe I underestimated you," Lara admitted as they walked back to the path. "It's not often you meet people who train their Pokémon so much that they understand your intentions. You're definitely not a simple starter trainer!"

The two continued to chat until they reached the path where they would finally part. "Well it was great to meet you Mark, good luck in Vermillion," said Lara with a smile. Aria whinnied in agreement giving Mankey a friendly look.

"You too, I wish you well in Saffron City."

* * *

Mark and Mankey had finally reached the route's divergence allowing them to change their bearing from Cerulean to Vermillion. They had passed a few trainers, some of whom had come over to chat or ask questions about Mankey. The wild Pokémon they had encountered were rather skittish and hadn't approached Mark or Mankey. From Mark's perspective, he was simply happy to have seen so many different Pokémon in the wild, even if many were common Pidgey. They could almost see Vermillion in the distance but the sun had started to set so they decided to set up camp.

Setting up camp was a simple matter. Considering Mark only required a matt to sleep on and Manky usually hopped onto a tree branch leaning against its bark, the only time-consuming job was starting a small fire and cooking a meal. For the average trainer, that was the only routine necessary but Mark was a martial artist who trained himself as well fighting Pokémon. It was time to train.

The duo were so well practiced in their routine, they got into their respective positions almost robotically. Without any words being spoken, fists immediately began to fly as each threw punches going right next to each other's heads, as close to the ears as possible without actually touching. Simultaneously, they would move in a square as if dancing. First, they would move backwards, then left, then forwards and finally right back to the original position. Their movements were choreographed so that one would be an attacker jabbing their foot forward to pin the other's whilst their partner would play defence and dodge with the slightest of movements. They would swap attacking roles after each square. At the dojo, this was a simple warm up exercise designed to promote trust as well as technique.

After competing 20 squares each as the attacker, they each jumped away with serious looks on their faces. To a trainer unused to handling Mankey, it would be odd sight to see one fight without flying into a rage, or even following a strict regime for that matter. However, Mankey was a fighting type first and raging pig-monkey second. Training was taken seriously and any opportunity to improve fighting technique was worth controlling impulsivity. Fire type Pokémon, being hotheaded, were well known to be proud beasts who knew the innate power within them, which frequently led to impulsive behaviour such as rage-induced flamethrowers. For the sake of becoming more powerful, especially against other fire-types, they would endure the humiliation of being beaten into the ground but always getting up again without complaint. Some would even train in water, their natural weakness.

"Ok Mankey, I'm ready."

Mankey merely nodded as he continued bouncing from side to side. Without warning, he suddenly lunged towards Mark who held a large plush capable of withstanding Pokémon attacks. When this exercise was performed with fellow humans, attacks were blocked using the body. With Pokémon, attacks were far too powerful, capable of shattering an arm even when defended with perfect technique.

Mankey's sequence of punches and kicks appeared random but was in fact a series of co-ordinations. The dojo had 30 different structures of attack each becoming longer and more difficult as the list progressed. Mankey was currently working through all 30 in a row as each technique flowed smoothly into the next. The nature of this pre-planned assault was the only reason Mark could keep up with the movements of moving his plush into the correct position. Mankey was far too quick to keep up with on reflex alone.

When it was Mark's turn to go through the sequence, no plush was used as Mankey merely danced backwards, dodging each attack with meticulous precision. After this exercise finished, the first telling emotion passed Mark's face as his visibly grimaced. Mankey, on the other hand, looked deliriously excited.

"I'll go first!" Mark said hurriedly. Mankey sulked for a brief second before nodding. He couldn't wait for his turn. Mark bent his knees slightly bracing his body for weight as Mankey leapt on to his back holding on piggyback style. Taking a deep breath, Mark began jogging up and down a rough patch of land estimating 100m before jogging back. He did these 14 times before doing his final lap where he sprinted as hard as he possibly could using the run back to slow down. Mankey immediately hopped off looking animated and enthusiastic to go whilst Mark merely panted, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else. Finally, with great reluctance, Mark climbed on Mankey's back and held on tightly.

Again, with no warning, Mankey shot off, his first lap being faster than Mark's final one. Speed aside, other important differences between human and Pokémon were sheer natural stamina and endurance. For this reason, Mankey did stretches of 500m before returning to the start spot. As much as Mark loved his partner dearly, and certainly wouldn't trade him for a smoother runner such as Machoke, he truly hated being carried by a rampaging Mankey. The ride was bumpy, rough and the changes of speed were inhuman when Mankey changed direction.

When Mankey had finally finished his paces, Mark got off and immediately looked at the ground as he walked slowly in a circle. Over time, he had found this method the most effective in getting his balance back, as well as calming his queasy stomach.

Their training continued for another half hour consisting more of actual fighting techniques and actual contact. They shared a curious bond. Both loved the martial arts, both loved training and both loved training with each other. They never talked about it though. They simply lost themselves in the experience, living in the moment.

* * *

When the morning came, Mark quickly rolled his matt up and joined Mankey who was already eager to go as he hopped from branch to branch in nearby trees with restless energy. They would finally reach Vermillion City today. He had thought of this day for a long time.

As they worked their way along the path, the city became easier to see. It was smaller than Saffron for sure, even the buildings were notably shorter. From the distance, he couldn't really tell but Mark thought it had a more inviting feel to it. Perhaps it was the cool breeze or simply his good mood, but he couldn't explain it.

From the corner of his eye, Mark spotted a small rock coming at him at high speed. With his honed reflexes he dodged easily by simply stepping to the right and turning to face his would-be opponent, only to find no one at all. He looked around suspiciously deducing his opponent must either be a person or more likely a Pokémon hiding in the bushes nearby. Mankey, to his credit, had not given into instinct and pounced into the nearby bushes to pound at their opponent but joined Mark in looking around in suspicion, the fury of his species glaring on his face. As they looked at each other, Mark nodded and they followed the direction from where the projectile originated. After a few seconds, they could hear some scuffling and Mankey immediately sprang into action.

"No rough play!" called Mark sharply as Mankey shot off. Their training had mandated they were to use their skills for defensive purposes only. They were protectors. However, that was much easier said than done with the Mankey line. Training could discipline them to an extent but with sufficient provocation, a sharp reminder was sometimes needed. It seemed Mark's concerns were unfounded as he received an affirmative call from Mankey. Had the Pokémon lost itself in rage, no response would be given even if action were abated.

As Mark came through the bushes, he found himself in a clearing and the curious sight of Mankey holding down a wild Farfetch'd who looked utterly terrified as the intimidating stature of Mankey held him down threateningly. "Don't worry," started Mark as he approached the Farfetch'd. "We won't hurt you. We just want to know if it was you who threw that stone at us."

The wild Farfetch'd looked a little less scared at Mark's words but was still frantic to escape. "Calm down!" Mark said sharply. Farfetch'd turned to face him again frozen by his words. "I said we wouldn't hurt you. Just tell us if it was you and you can go with no problem."

The Farfetch'd seemed to be relax a little now convinced Mark would indeed not harm it. Looking rather reluctant, it quacked an affirmative and nodded before looking ahead of him and back at Mark. Clearly, it thought it should be let go now.

"Hmm…well why did you do that?" Mark asked knowing he would get no response.

Mankey suddenly shrieked, as it lost patience causing Farfetch'd to shrink back in fear.

"Let Farfetch'd go," Mark told Mankey with a sigh. He shouldn't have expected Mankey to remain still for so long once a battle had started, albeit a simple chase. Mankey obeyed but hopped back and forth next to Mark, ready to fight.

Farfetch'd immediately darted away from the pair of them to a tree a few metres away. It picked up a stick with its wing and turned back to them looking more confident. Mark couldn't help but give a light chuckle. What a difference a small stick could make. He supposed some humans were the same with weapons and the like.

"I don't want any problems," Mark said holding up his hands. "However, if you want to fight, Mankey would be more than happy."

Farfetch'd turned to Mankey with a dubious look on its face. The ease with which Mankey had caught it gave it reason to pause. Turning back to Mark, it started quacking again pointing to Mankey, then Mark, then to Mark's bag with its stick.

"I see," Mark said with a smirk. "Very well, we accept your challenge. I must ask though, are you a boy?"

Farfetch'd squawked indignantly whilst nodding yes as if it would the very question offensive.

"Oh calm down," Mark said flippantly not bothered by the Pokémon's outrage. "Let's go Mankey."

Mankey, who had been keen to fight Farfetch'd the entire time, roared as he got into his fighting stance. Before the match had formally been started, Farfetch'd launched itself hard at Mankey with his wing glowing. Not one to be caught off-guard, Mankey hopped to the left and smashed Farfetch'd in the back sending the poor bird into the ground. Mankey didn't even wait for Mark to instruct the level of attack and decided to go into fury swipes. Farfetch'd squawked in pain but succeeded in working through the pain to thwack Mankey hard in between his eyes. Instantly, Mankey's actions halted in surprise. In the second that passed, Farfetch'd escaped leaving Mankey hopping up and down holding his sensitive nose.

"That was an interesting attack," Mark observed. Whilst lacking in form, the attack had been incredibly effective in achieving its aim. "Let's take this fight like Ponyta yesterday Mankey."

Mankey shot Mark a betrayed look. That strategy was great for winning but was also a last resort. It wasn't for scenarios like this where Mankey could still avoid attacks and win on his own merits. "Don't look at me like that, we still need to reach Vermillion and you haven't felt a flying type move for some time."

There was no time to argue as Farfetch'd had already launched into wing attack once again. It was well aimed and slammed into Mankey's side causing the monkey to squeal in agony. Despite the pain, Mankey had raised his pre-charged fists and slammed them both into Farfetch'd landing two hard karate chops forcing the bird straight into the ground. Mark winced at the miniature crater surrounding the Pokémon. Farfetch'd was getting to its feet but was clearly weakened to the point where it had lost the match. Mark quickly threw a pokéball at the duck Pokémon.

It took a few seconds but the ding of the pokéball showed Farfetch'd to be captured. "Looks like we have our first friend Mankey."

The monkey only grumbled in response as it hopped over for some healing potions.


End file.
